A little honest insight about the World Series champion San Francisco Giants (2010, 2012, 2014) from a blog that ranked in the Top 100 of MLB.com Fan Blogs of 2012-14

They learned Pablo Sandoval would be on the DL for 4-to-6 weeks. Then followed up with another anemic offensive game, another tight loss to the Miami Marlins.

But rather than pile on what went wrong Thursday, we’ll instead try to shine some rays of hope, knowing that some of these may be stretches.

Gregor Blanco had a nice game in the leadoff spot. With the Aubrey Huff on the DL and Nate Schierholtz mired in a slump, manager Bruce Bochy put Blanco in the leadoff spot Thursday and responded by going 3 for 3 with a double and walk. He scored both of the Giants’ runs. He also was thrown out stealing on a perfect throw from Brett Hayes.

The Giants avoided a shutout. They have not been shutout all season and are one of four NL teams who have not been shutout (Reds, Cubs and Diamondbacks).

The Giants avoided being shutout by Anibal Sanchez at AT&T Park. Sanchez threw shutouts in his only other two starts at AT&T.

Angel Pagan extended his career-best hitting streak to 17 games.

Ryan Vogelsong rebounded from a 33-pitch first inning to throw a quality start — 7 IP, 1 ER and 5 Ks. It was the Giants’ 15th quality start of the season.

The Marlins leave town, having won their last seven games in San Francisco. The Brewers come town Friday. Reigning MVP Ryan Braun is questionable Friday with a sore Achilles.

UP NEXT

Tim Lincecum returns to the mound to face Zach Greinke and the Brewers at 7:15 p.m.

On Saturday, Madison Bumgarner takes on Randy Wolf in a 1:05 p.m. FOX game of the week.

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